California woman pleads guilty to embezzling from trucking company

The last of three trucking company office workers has pleaded guilty to stealing company money by adding dollar amounts to their own paychecks.

Stephanie Yost, 39, of Tulare, CA, had been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the crimes, which allegedly occurred between 2003 and 2005.

On Tuesday, Yost pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and to six counts of wire fraud tied to an embezzlement scheme she concocted with two co-workers.

According to court documents, Yost worked as an office manager for Faulkner Trucking of Tulare, CA. From at least August 2003 until April 2005, prosecutors showed that Yost conspired to add money to paychecks for benefits “to which she was not entitled.” Co-defendants Vickie Ann Kyle and Dustie Denise Lisenbery previously pleaded guilty to charges tied to the same investigation.

Prosecutors showed that Yost received $180,000 in illegitimate expense reimbursements, overtime and vacation. Court documents also said Yost added about $38,000 in illegitimate money to Kyle’s paychecks in a 19-month period, and $23,000 more to Lisenbery’s paychecks.

The two co-workers paid Yost 50 percent of the proceeds from the illegitimate paycheck additions. Court documents said Yost tallied the dollar amounts they owed Yost with a 10-key calculator and issued them receipts.

The scheme may have cost Faulkner Trucking as much as $241,000, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner.

Yost is scheduled to appear at a sentencing hearing April 2 in federal court in Sacramento before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Anthony Ishii.